Ah, the Chanel Classic Flap Bag. Every lover of fashion I’ve spoken to about this bag has a story. Whether it’s how they came to love it, the painstaking process of acquiring it, or how they long to own it.
My first encounter with Chanel bags was whilst watching The Hills, circa 2006 and being enamoured with Lauren Conrad’s arm candy. That was until I discovered the price tag and swiftly parted with the dream of owning one. Whilst drawing my attention to more attainable investments, I began to realise the magnitude of the “Chanel effect”. Its striking design features spearheaded an excess of twisted chain bags — with high street to designer brands producing their version of the chained underarm accessory.
When it comes to cult fashion items, few garner the same interest as Chanel’s offerings, and of its vast and varied arsenal of bags over the years, the Chanel Classic Flap Bag takes the reigns. Refined, plush and statement, it’s the coveted companion of many— beloved and recognised worldwide for its twisted chain feature and quilted profile.
Chanel is the crème de la crème of luxury, having spent years pioneering the high-fashion accessory space. It has earned its premium status and rests on its laurels, calling upon newcomers, collectors and spectators, to marvel at its excellence. Synonymous with opulence and a huge marker of luxury, it is frequently spotted on the arms of celebrities and Satorialists worldwide. Although trends have wavered, the effect of Chanel’s excellence has withstood the test of time and the demand for Chanel’s leather goods has increased.
Despite its price point, the Chanel Classic Flap Bag continues to be an accessory that has queues snaking around its flagship stores—from London’s New Bond Street to Rue Cambon in Paris, with prospective buyers longing to return homebound with the Classic Flap Bag in tow—the ultimate prize possession. Coming in at between £1000 to £15000, the first question on many people’s lips is whether it’s worth its significant price tag, which has led me to examine the quality and its rich history.
The Chanel Classic Flap Bag dates back to 1929. Inspired by military garb, Chanel’s first-ever prototype was crafted from a jersey fabrication, akin to a soldier’s weatherproof knapsack (a far cry from the 2023 offering) The styles we’re most familiar with were invented in February 1955, hence its moniker 2.55. Conceived by the late Coco Chanel, it was designed to be a reimagined handbag for the modern woman with pragmatism at the forefront, though not sacrificing style.
Although there’s been an evolution of the style throughout the years—from tweed iterations to saturated colour and heart shaping, its key characteristics have remained and the Classic Flap remains part of its core collection. Although the design is refined, its features are highly distinguishablecomprising the twisted chain with convertible nodules, and supple leather to polished gold-toned hardware (fashioned from real gold no less, before 2008), with the interlocking CC clasp.
Years after it initially graced the masses, the price of the Chanel Classic Flap Bag continues to rise exponentially. Luxury experts are dubbing it not only a wardrobe classic but also a sound investment in terms of profitability.
According to Stylight, “There was an increase of 18% in the last four weeks for the search ‘Chanel Jumbo Flap Bag’ as compared to the previous four weeks in Google searches.” Proving the demand for said bags continues to skyrocket.
Weighing in on the iconography of Chanel bags, sustainability expert, fashion commentator and author of Why Don’t I Have Anything To Wear Andrea Cheong states “I purchased my 1996 small classic flap in caviar leather second-hand in Japan. I paid about £3.8k and I do think it’s worth it. However, that’s in the context of really admiring the style and being interested in purchasing a Chanel bag.”
“In my book Why Don’t I Have Anything To Wear, I talk about material versus cultural value and how over time (especially due to social media) we gravitate heavily towards the latter. Chanel straddles this line very well. However, the accessories in particular have over time rested quite heavily on its status instead of levelling up its craftsmanship. Despite people calling this out, it hasn’t affected their bottom line” continues Cheong.
Right now, you can purchase the classic flap directly from the brand for anywhere between £6,000 and £10,00 depending on the sizes, or second-hand iterations retail for around £5,000 or more.
There are many ways to experience luxury accessories in 2023, whether you wish to try them before you buy or borrow them for an occasion. The pre-loved market is booming and the same rings true for rental services.
Cynthia Morrow and Shika Bodani founders of More Luxury Club attest to loaning as a sustainable and thriving business model, declaring “We have seen a demand for Chanel’s classic bags, both for their classic appeal and the opportunity to experience these luxury goods without the full financial commitment.”
“Our sharing model allows members to own a 20% share of designer handbags, with other luxury lovers, enjoying it for up to ten weeks per year. Alternatively, members could opt to earn money on their current investment pieces, sitting idly in their wardrobes by selling shares in their pieces on the platform. Some of our most sought-after designer bags include Chanel.”
If you too are enamoured with the Chanel effect, keep scrolling to shop, rent or simply marvel at the best Chanel offerings the internet has to offer.
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